No Time Like The Present
by LoveNeverDies78
Summary: In the immediate aftermath of the final battle, there is still some happiness to be found. Oliver/Katie, established relationship.


**Conversation Starter Prompt Challenge:** Write about a highlighted moment in a character's life.

 **Pairing Scenario Challenge:** Scenario 1: School

* * *

Katie rubs at her tired eyes, willing herself to keep moving. She's barely had a moment's rest in the last few hours, helping Madam Pomfrey tend to the wounded. There are so many of them that Katie doesn't think they'll ever get to them all, even with the number of witches and wizards that Hogwarts' resident Healer has drafted into service.

"Why don't you take a break?" Madam Pomfrey says gently. "I think we've got through all of the more critically injured."

Katie shakes her head. "There are still so many others to look after. I couldn't possibly stop now."

Madam Pomfrey frowns. "You're no good to any of them if you work yourself sick. Take a couple of hours and get some rest. That's an order."

Katie opens her mouth to argue that the Healer doesn't have any authority over her, but yawns instead. Sighing, Katie finally gives in. "Fine. I'll try to sleep for a bit."

Madam Pomfrey nods once, satisfied with this answer, before moving off to attend to yet another injured person.

Katie wanders outside, wondering where she's even going to find a comfortable place to rest. The castle is in ruins. The final battle of the war may be over, but she knows there is still a long way to go before any of them can start to truly move forward. She's glad that she at least has Oliver by her side.

Thinking of Oliver makes her chest tighten as she realizes that she's been too busy to look for him. She hasn't seen him since the one hour armistice. They hadn't had time for more than passing glances at each other, but he seemed fine then. Suddenly feeling more alert, Katie knows that she won't be able to rest until she finds him.

Maybe it's because she's at Hogwarts again and remembers all of Oliver's favorite places on the grounds, or maybe it's because she knows that it always comes back to Quidditch when he's involved, but Katie's feet instinctively carry her to the Quidditch pitch. It is utterly destroyed. The stands have been burned to the ground and what goal hoops are left are broken and lying atop the charred ruins. Katie wends her way through the rubble, stepping carefully over piles of blackened wood and ash. Some small fires continue to burn here and there.

Katie stops short when she spots Oliver, standing in the middle of the pitch, the grass at his feet singed. He is looking around at the grisly scene, mouth agape. His eyes widen when he sees her. They start moving quickly toward each other at the same time, Katie nearly tripping over a piece of one of the goal hoops in her haste. She stumbles but keeps going, wanting nothing more than to be in his arms.

They embrace tightly when they reach each other. She can feel his heart thudding against his chest. She pushes away enough to look up at him. His face is smudged with dirt and blood, and there is a small, blood-encrusted gash just above his right eyebrow. He winces when she reaches up and lightly traces her finger above the deep cut. "Are you alright?" she asks.

Oliver nods. "I am now. You?" There is pain in his eyes as he answers. She knows that he's seen things that will stay with him for years to come; they've all experienced the horrors of war and will have to deal with the aftermath for the rest of their lives.

Katie places a hand on his cheek. "Tired, but fine otherwise. I'm just glad you're safe."

Oliver presses his forehead against hers, his gaze fixed intently on her. "Aye. You have no idea how worried I was. When I was helping move the dead into the Great Hall, I was so afraid that the next body I came to would be yours. Until I saw you helping the injured, I was so sure that - - "

Katie cuts him off with a gentle kiss. Oliver hums and deepens the kiss, his hold on her tightening. The death and destruction that she's been surrounded by for the last day are forgotten as his lips linger on hers. When he finally breaks the kiss, she can only stare up at him breathlessly.

"I love you, Katie Bell." Oliver's eyes reflect his words, the sincere warmth of his gaze causing her heart to flutter. "In the middle of all of this, I promised myself that if we both survived, I wouldn't be such a coward anymore." He breathes deeply before continuing, ignoring her questioning look. "There's something I've been wanting to ask you for a while now, but I was afraid. I don't know why I was scared, but I don't care anymore. I'm just going to say it: Katie, will you marry me?"

Katie inhales sharply. They've never really discussed marriage. Katie has never wanted to broach the subject, afraid that he wouldn't feel the same way about it as she did. Her initial surprise is quickly replaced by relief and overwhelming joy. "Yes, yes of course," she answers, voice quavering. "I'd marry you right here and now if I could."

Oliver kisses her again. "Let's see what we can do about that."

* * *

To their surprise, Professor McGonagall knows someone from the Ministry who can preside over the impromptu ceremony. Equally surprising to them is her eagerness to get him to the school as soon as possible. "It makes me so happy to see some joy in the midst of so much grief" is her reply when they ask her about it.

In a matter of a few hours, Oliver and Katie find themselves on the destroyed Quidditch pitch once again, this time surrounded by everyone who isn't critically injured. Their parents had even been sent for; Professor McGonagall had insisted that it wouldn't be a proper wedding without their families present. It's certainly not the wedding Katie's always dreamed about. Instead of a new white dress, she's wearing a lilac dress borrowed from Hermione Granger. There is no fancy bouquet, only a small bunch of wildflowers that Professor Sprout had gathered from the Forbidden Forest.

As the official begins the ceremony, Katie and Oliver hold hands, their faces close together. "We can have a proper wedding sometime, if you like," Oliver mumbles.

Katie shakes her head and gently squeezes his hands. "No, this is perfect." She means it. She will remember this more fondly than a ceremony that had been planned out over the course of months.

Once the official pronounces them married, they kiss to the applause of the people gathered. As Katie looks into the eyes of her new husband, she knows that despite the long road ahead of them, they will be fine as long as they have each other.


End file.
